Furnish the office

Author: DREIECK DESIGN editorial department
Last update: 12.11.2020

Furnishing a study: ideas for a stylish home office

Since 2020 it has finally been clear: the trend is towards home offices. Regardless of whether you work as a freelancer or want to save yourself the daily commute - working from home is becoming more and more popular. It is therefore all the more important to create a pleasant working environment in your own home and to furnish your study appropriately. In this post you can read numerous tips and ideas - e.g. B. on the right colors, the selection of the desk, effective decoration and much more.

Furnish the study - choose the right colors

The best way to set up the study is to start with the colors. Because: The design of the walls forms the basis for a good working atmosphere. Did you know that colors have a decisive influence on our mood?

Which color is suitable for the study depends on your personal preferences - but you should follow a few guidelines :

• Do not choose colors that are too bright, as they appear restless.
  
  
• Pure white often exudes a clinical, uncomfortable atmosphere.
  
  
• Muted, earthy colors are ideal, they have a balancing and focusing effect.

For example, muted blue, green, gray and ocher tones are particularly recommended. If you like it a little more playful, you can opt for pastel variants - such as eggshell yellow or light green.

Clear white, which is ideally combined with other colors, ensures openness: paint a selected area (e.g. behind the desk) in a warm shade. In this way, clarity and comfort can be combined.

Productive atmosphere in the study: ideas for decoration

One thing is clear: In the home office, the focus is on work. So to keep the focus, you should be sparing with decoration. Nevertheless: With selected decoration you give the room a personal note and you feel more comfortable at work.

Tip: Think about a concept for the decorative design beforehand: Would you like to orientate yourself on a certain furnishing style (more on this below)? Which color scheme should run through the room? What line do you follow when choosing materials?

 

For inspiration, here is a list of 6 ideas for the study:

• Indoor plants : They give the room a touch of fresh green and also ensure a good working atmosphere. Ivy, Dieffenbachia and Kentia palm, for example, have a particularly air-purifying effect. Several small plants on a wall board are currently in vogue, but a large potted plant next to the desk is also good.
  
  
• Several framed pictures : If the gaze falls on pretty pictures while working, then it immediately increases the mood. Simply put several small pictures (depending on your taste and furnishing style) in a frame and arrange them asymmetrically above the desk - it looks particularly young and modern!
  
  
• Wall or sideboards : They are particularly suitable as a base for decorative objects. In many versions, however, they are already an eye-catcher themselves. If noble sideboard made of glass or retro wall board made of dark walnut wood: this gives the home office an elegant touch.
  
  
• Design variants of everyday objects : Combine the useful with the beautiful: A specially designed pen holder, a lamp, a letter tray, etc. can become decorative objects. A few selected pieces can be used to set wonderful accents.
  
  
• Carpet: The carpet is a decoration classic and creates a cozy and warm atmosphere. Make sure that it matches the rest of the furnishing style in terms of material, color and shape.
  
  
• Wall with magnetic paint : As an original alternative to the pin board, you can also paint a selected part of the wall with magnetic paint. You already have a practical magnetic board that you can fill with important notes or pretty pictures.

Furniture and equipment to furnish the study

An important point is of course the choice of furniture. No matter if used from the flea market or noble designer piece - desk and chair undoubtedly play the main role in the study. What you need to pay attention to:

The desk

Before you buy a desk, you should consider: Which documents and devices should be placed there? Do I use a laptop or a desktop PC with a monitor? How much space is available? So you can roughly plan how big the table top should be . A size of 160 x 80 cm is usually recommended.

A crucial point is the correct desk height. You should be able to sit in an upright, ergonomic position at your desk, facing straight ahead. Of course, an adjustable desk is ideal - so you can adapt it to your needs exactly. Otherwise, it is important to pay close attention to the height when buying and to try it out in the shop.

But what about the desk now? As a rule of thumb, place it at a 90 ° angle to the window . This means that there are no annoying reflections on the screen and you can still enjoy daylight. You should also ensure that you have enough legroom.

The desk chair

When it comes to desk chairs, adjustability is a must . The reason: It is healthiest to change your position every now and then while sitting. This is easier if you can adjust the chair. Anyone who works full-time at home should definitely invest in an ergonomic model with a headrest and armrests. There is also a simpler variant for casual work.

By the way : ergonomics and design do not have to be mutually exclusive. If you go looking, you will definitely find health-promoting models with style.

• Sitting healthy - this is how it works:
• A healthy, ergonomic sitting position looks like this:
• Both feet are straight on the floor.
• The knees form an approx. 90 ° angle.
• The back is straight.
• The arms rest on the table and also form a 90 ° angle.
• The head is about an arm's length away from the screen.
• The upper edge of the screen is approximately at eye level

The orderlies

You can lay the foundations for future order when setting up the study. To do this, invest in clever solutions that create storage space. If you need to store files or folders, you will likely need a shelf. With a horizontally mounted shelf above the desk, storage space is created even in small rooms.

Tip : Closed shelves create a calmer, tidy atmosphere - if you want to use books or encyclopedias as decorative objects, then open shelves are better. Looks particularly classy and bright glass shelves.

Desks or secretaries with integrated drawers are ideal for office supplies and documents that you want to have close at hand. small mobile pedestals with drawers can serve as a supplement.

Lighting: design your office with light

Light plays an important role in the study in two ways: on the one hand, you need bright work lights at the desk, on the other hand, you can use light to create moods and thus design the study.

These light sources are important in the home office:

• Desk lamp: There are countless designs and types on the market here. So you can completely adapt to your furnishing style. The brightness of the lamp should be 400 lux or 400-500 lumens. A neutral-cool light color (4000-5000 Kelvin) wakes you up and contributes to better concentration.
  
  
• Room lighting: For basic lighting of the room, you can use classic ceiling or pendant lights. With built-in lights or LED panels, you can create particularly even and extensive lighting.
  
  
• mood lighting: With indirect light (e.g. through LED strips), fairy lights or candles, the study becomes particularly cozy. Ideal for everyone who wants a cozy working atmosphere. Warm white light (less than 3500 Kelvin) exudes comfort, but can also make you sleepy.

Furnishing the study with style: 3 interior trends

When furnishing the study, you should definitely come up with a consistent line. Think about which colors, shapes and materials should characterize the room - this way you can purchase furniture and decoration in a targeted manner. As a little suggestion, here are 3 popular furnishing styles for the home office - this might give you your own ideas for the study:

1.     Let energy flow with Feng Shui

Strictly speaking, Feng Shui is not a style, but a Chinese theory of harmony. Furnishing the study according to Feng Shui should provide more energy, well-being and creativity.

Some important principles for the study:

• Correct desk position : It is best to position the desk so that you can see both the door and the window - this creates security. Ideally, you sit with your back to a wall and you can look ahead freely. But: The desk should not be exactly between the door and the window, otherwise you will block the flow of energy.
  
  
• Create order: A harmonious, orderly environment plays a major role in Feng Shui. Stow things around in files, closed shelves and cupboards - this frees up your mind.
  
  
• Set up plants : Green indoor plants clean the air of pollutants and - according to the teachings of Feng Shui - have a harmonizing effect on the body.
  
  
• Separate personal and professional life: According to the opinion of "Yang", which stands for activity, the study is shaped. Other areas, on the other hand, are more “Yin” places of rest (e.g. bedrooms). When setting up the study, you should separate these areas: It is ideal to have a separate room for the home office. Otherwise, room dividers or screens can help.
  
  
• Decoration: Basically, in Feng Shui, decoration is only used sparingly. Motifs that inspire and represent personal goals are particularly suitable. Overall, you should prefer round, organic shapes and avoid pointed objects. Watches and calendars are also not advisable because they cause stress.

2.     Free space for thoughts with the modern-minimalist style

Few objects, lots of free space: Minimalism is ideal for designing a study, because it avoids distractions. Rely on clear lines and unadorned furniture - playful details are out of place here! When it comes to colors, the basics also dominate: black and white are the clear favorites in the modern minimalist style.

Glass and metal are suitable materials because they exude clarity and coolness. If you like it a little warmer, you can rely on simple wooden furniture, then you move towards Scandinavian style. With a few but selected designer pieces - such as a refined glass side table - the room is given a particularly modern, elegant touch.

3.     Stimulate creativity with the boho style

The boho style is in many ways the complete opposite of minimalism: A mix of colors, materials and patterns - with a maximum of cosiness. That goes against the "classic tip" of furnishing the study quietly and tidily. But: If you like things a little more creative, you might find the cozy mess just inspiring!

For a home office in boho style, it is best to choose earthy shades - such as brown, beige, olive, kaki or dark red. Also a must for the hippie style: Textiles with an ethnic pattern , for example a carpet, a blanket or a lampshade.

Naturalness is also popular when it comes to materials - tables and chairs made of wood, woven storage baskets or a suede armchair create a homely atmosphere. Add a few cacti or even one or the other vintage piece and the boho look is perfect!

Set up a small or narrow study

Your study measures just a few square meters? With the right design, you can get a lot out of it! The following tips will help you to furnish a small office functionally yourself:

• Plan the furnishing of the study very carefully in advance. Every piece of furniture and decorative object needs to be carefully considered, because only a few, selected pieces have space.
  
  
• Use the entire height for storage space: If you are setting up a small study, floor-to-ceiling shelves, cupboards or wall boards are recommended.
  
  
• Choose preferably light colors - these make the room appear larger. Mirrors have the same effect orglass furniture.
  
  
• Use a good organization system: stacks of paper or unnecessary odds and ends are fatal in small workrooms. With baskets, shelves and boxes you make sure that everything has its place.
  
  
• You can integrate sloping ceilings by using the space below as a storage area: e.g. B. with low shelves.

Furnish your study comfortably - this is how it works!

Especially if you regularly work in the home office, you should set up your study in such a way that you enjoy spending time in it. Another important point is ergonomics: desks and chairs should promote a healthy sitting position. Muted colors and a calm atmosphere tend to be an advantage - but in the end: A furnishing style is allowed that pleases and enables concentrated work.